This invention relates generally to animal husbandry and more particularly to a belt or band for securing a blanket, sheet or cooler on a horse or other animal. To avoid wordiness below, we refer to all such devices generically as "blankets".
Preventing blankets from shifting away from their intended positions has always been a problem. Intentionally or otherwise, by rolling, or rubbing against objects, horses can move blankets from their installed positions to positions that are not only unsightly, but also uncomfortable, and which partially defeat the intended purpose of the blanket. In a displaced position, the blanket may be more susceptible to damage, loss or destruction, incurring the time and expense of repairing or replacing the blanket. And beyond being uncomfortable, a displaced blanket may sometimes be a danger to the horse. Its limbs can become entangled in the closure straps, for example. In some instances, a displaced blanket or the like can scare an animal, causing it to run wildly, buck, kick or roll frantically. People, including those who try to subdue the animal, and other animals nearby, are endangered. At the least, the horse has to be rescued, and worse, serious permanent injuries can result. Our experience is that most prior blanket retainers simply do not keep blankets put.
A further problem with prior blanket retainers is that they required buckle closures for tightening. The straps are typically made of a nonelastic leather or fabric, and have to be tightened substantially, if they are to be stable; buckles are usually used as tighteners. Unfortunately, horses are notorious for damaging or breaking buckle closures by rubbing against objects or rolling.
Prior inventors have disclosed a variety of elastic girths and the like. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,187,663, 3,828,521 and 2,567,019 are exemplary. Other inventors have suggested various arrangements of internal ribs or treads to increase the holding force of the strap. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,458. Still others have used velcro-type material in horse cinches or girths. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,219. But until now, no one has been able to combine all these desirable features in a single, simple unit. We have discovered a material that makes the combination possible, as described below.